Into Faerun
by MasterHune
Summary: Three women from Earth find themselves in the Underdark and embark on a journey to help in the War of the Spider Queen. Many characters from various Faerun novels appear in this story. Eventual OC pairing. Rated T for mild adult themes.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

It had started out as a walk. Melanie and her two sisters hadn't seen each other in quite some time and were, for the most part enjoying their time together. They had strolled leisurely through the woods around their property, and on a rather steep hillside containing mostly limestone. they found a small cave. The cave entrance had been littered with old bones of small animals, but not one of the three women found that odd or disturbing. In fact, it was fairly common.

Melanie had never been comfortable in smaller caves. If this could be considered a cave. So far it was a dark, damp, crack in the stone that, now, after some time squeezing her way through, hardly seemed like a safe or good idea to explore. She and her sisters could be trapping a vicious animal in its den. Melanie hardly savored that idea. Bears suddenly sprang to mind. Of course Melanie realized the chance of finding a bear would be extremely improbable. Bears didn't live in this area, and even if they did, one would not be able to fit through this enclosed space.

"Let's turn back. I don't think this goes anywhere. Besides, it's gross and uncomfortable," Madison, the youngest of the trio chirped in. Of course it was her. Madison would always be the first one to back out of anything. She always claimed it was because it was dangerous or boring or some other unpleasant thing, but the truth was she was afraid. Of everything.

"We should go a little further, and if it's not interesting we will turn back," Melanie compromised. The three had often gone on these types of adventures as children, and Melanie had always led them. She never really understood why she led them when she was hardly capable of leading herself. Melanie supposed it was because she was the oldest, but now that they were grown adults that really made no difference. Maybe she was leading them now because she had suggested the walk in the first place.

She had also found the cave, and they had decided to enter with a majority rules vote. Melanie had wanted to explore a little. The three had often found these kind of caves but had never gone in them. Morgan, the middle child, had voted with Melanie against Madison, like she always did. That thought brought a smirk to Melanie's face, and as the cave widened out a little she turned to regard her sisters.

Morgan was right behind her. She was the shortest of the group, but hardly the meekest. Morgan was stubborn, proud, and often times foolhardy. She considered herself a very moral person, despite not being religious, but didn't always hold herself to her own standards. Morgan loved the idea of being brave and strong, so she rarely backed out of any of Melanie's crazy schemes. This also made her perfectly susceptible to Melanie's manipulation. Morgan had almost unnaturally straight light brown hair that came down just below her shoulders, light brown, almond shaped eyes, and full lips which were naturally a pleasing light pink. Her face was the roundest of all of the sisters with less prominent cheekbones and jawline, but it fit her well. Morgan was the most extroverted of the three, but she was far from achieving social grace. She was quick to anger and didn't hide that when in public. This made her rude at times.

Thinking of people without social talents caused Melanie to focus her attention on to her youngest sister, Madison. Madison had long blonde hair, which was not straight but not wavey, and her left eye was a blueish color and her right a brownish. The difference between the two was only slight, and at first glance they appeared to be the same color. Madison was very pale which had led to her being called a cave-dweller on several occasions. While taller than Morgan, Melanie still had several inches of height on her youngest sister. Madison was also very physically weak which was probably because of her love of sleeping, reading, roleplaying games, and other things that didn't involve much if any physical effort. She was very introverted and had some social anxiety which prevented her from doing many things and made her somewhat clingy.

Melanie considered herself fairly average. She had shoulder length brown hair, which was notably darker than Morgan's but a far cry from being considered dark brown, darker brown eyes, a stronger jaw and cheekbones, and was the most athletic and tallest of her sisters. Melanie had always thought her nose was large and her body a little below average. She shared some things in common with her sisters. They were all considered intelligent, and nerdy. She also was introverted like Madison, though not as severely.

"Are we going on?" Morgan's question interrupted Melanie's contemplation.

"Yeah. It looks like it's getting wider and more interesting, but I doubt that it continues on much farther." It occurred to Melanie that she could no longer see the sunlight, and the air felt more stale and oppressive than it should be. They could only now see by the dim glow of Melanie's tiny flashlight. A shiver went down Melanie's spine as she turned around and continued walking. She was completely unprepared for the sudden and complete darkness that enveloped her a moment later.

Melanie heard her sisters cry out from behind her and felt what seemed like many bee stings all over her body. They left a burning itching pain that began to clog her mind. Whatever was attacking her couldn't of been a swarm of bees despite the sensation. There was no buzzing. Melanie felt herself collapsing onto the hard stone ground, which was strangely no longer limestone and thought that perhaps exploring this cave had been a very bad idea on her part.


	2. Meetings

I forgot to put this before, but I do not own anything (other than Melanie, Morgan and Madison). It all belongs to Wizards of the Coast and any other respective owners.

This story will **eventually** become AU and stop following the books, in case that concerns anyone. Jarlaxle and Artemis will find their way into this story and become main, but it will take awhile. Drizzt will also appear from time to time in the future.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy my story! Please R&R. I'm interested in anything you might have to say, and thank you to any of you who have already reviewed!

**Chapter 1**

Valas Hune watched the three strange women. They were humans. Their paler complexions and softer bodies made it possible that they were noble ladies, but they didn't hold themselves that way. They were most likely handmaidens, then. The three were unarmed except for the blinding light that one of them carried, and they looked untrained. How did they manage to survive this deep in the Underdark?

He had been sent to scout ahead of the expedition. Valas knew these tunnel like the scars on the back of his hand, which made this situation even more confusing. The humans were coming out of a tunnel he knew to be a dead end. Valas took another look around from the shadows he was hidden in. They were alone with no guards or guides. They were evidently suicidal or stupid.

Valas briefly considered what to do with these strange women. He could leave them be, but they might later find Hune's other companions, which could not happen on this secret expedition. He could confront them and ask them why they were here. He doubted that they could give him a reasonable response. That left two options. Valas could kill them, but Quenthel might be angry. He could capture them for Quenthel to question. They were, after all, an oddity in the Underdark. Quenthel could then decide what to do with them. Yes, that was the best option.

Moving quickly, Hune conjured a globe of darkness about their light rod and used one of his many enchantments to subdue them. He used the enchantment to sting them until they passed out. Valas cursed as his darkness globe suddenly wore off. Temporarily blinded, the scout sunk deeper into the shadows and waited patiently for his vision to return enough to approach the light rod. Reaching downward Hune picked up the rod and felt a button. He pressed it once and sighed in relief when the light went out.

Hune now had a different problem. How was he going to carry all three of the humans back to his companions? Valas was a rather diminutive drow mercenary in service to Bregan D'aerthe. He always relied more on stealth and dexterity than strength. Hune decided to tie the three women together with rope from his pack. He would bring his companions to them. Hune walked away after scanning the area one last time.

Pharaun Mizzrym sighed to himself as he followed Valas Hune, the party's scout. Their fine Bregan D'aerthe scout was leading them to look at the three human women that he had found. In Pharaun's opinion, they were wasting their time. What could these humans offer them? He was sure Quenthel would come up with a brilliant idea regarding what to do with them. Most likely Quenthel would let her nephew Jeggred have them. Pharaun shuddered at the thought.

Pharaun gazed at his companions. First, there was their scout, Master Hune. He was quite adept at his job. His loyalty came at a price, like all members of Bregan D'aerthe, but Pharaun had no doubt that he was loyal. He was quite strange in that manner. Hune appeared to lack all ambition that drow were so accustomed to. Pharaun also found he lacked much of a personality other than pragmatism. The was diminutive, had amber eyes, a squared jaw that was always clenched as if expecting a punch, and grey scars crisscrossing his black skin. The scout wore rugged, outdoorsy clothing, black drow chainmail, a vest with various oddities, no doubt enchanted, pinned to it, a nine pointed star pendant, two kurkis at his hip, and a short bow.

The other drow male of the party was Ryld, the warrior. Ryld and Pharaun had been friends since the two met in the Academy. Of course they had had a recent set back. He was extraordinarily tall, particularly for a drow male, reaching six feet in height. He was built accordingly to his height. Pharaun had actually never met a stronger drow than his very own Ryld. Ryld wore dwarven armour because drow mail wouldn't fit him, and wore his hair short. Despite recent events, Pharaun was reasonably sure that Ryld would remain loyal to him, at least to the expected extent.

Faeryl was a female ambassador for the nearby drow city of Ched Nasad. She fought with a warhammer, and she was a very typical drow priestess of Lloth. She had nothing particularly interesting about her, nor was she very beautiful, or cunning. Faeryl did appear to have some previous encounter with Jeggred, though, which made her wince with fear every time she looked at him. Pharaun would have to find out that story later.

The appointed leader of the expedition to Ched Nasad was Quenthel Baenre. She was a large, female drow priestess. Her broad shoulders and manly body did her no favors, nor did her lack of intelligence. She was a cruel brute with no opportunistic thought in her head. Her face wasn't very pleasant either, similar to the foul way she contorted her face into expressions.

The last and least of the party was Jeggred Baenre. He was Quenthel's nephew, the son of Triel Baenre who was the presiding Matron Baenre. Jeggred was a draegloth, a half demon. He was half glabrezu to be exact. Glabrezus were a extraordinarily repulsive breed of demon, and they lacked any kind of wit. In fact Jeggred was little more than one of those mindless beasts, and the Baenre half wasn't much better.

The purpose of the expedition was simple. They were to find out if Mezoberranzan's neighboring city of Ched Nasad was also experiencing Lloth's silence. Lloth was either dead, or she had simply abandoned her priestesses. Personally, Pharaun could care less about why Lloth had decided to leave the "superior" priestesses in the dark. For him, this expedition was about coming back to Menzoberranzan a hero, more so than he already was after saving Menzoberranzan from defeat by the slave rebellion's hands, and improving his status. Pharaun also suspected that the priestesses in the party had another motive as well.

Pharaun looked around the bleak tunnels and inquired, "How much farther, Master Hune?" They had left their riding lizards behind days ago, and Pharaun wasn't interested in a long walk if it was not going to be leading them to their destination.

"They are just around this corner." Hune replied quietly. He had a slight frown on his face. Pharaun assumed it was because their fine scout loved traveling in silence, which was something that Pharaun would never get used to. He always had Ryld to converse with if Valas refused his company.

Turning around the corner into a small side tunnel, Pharaun saw that Valas had been right. These were the strangest humans he had ever seen. Pharaun briefly glanced at all three of the humans, but his eyes were drawn to what he assumed to be their leader. She had dark brown shoulder length hair, dark reddish brown eyes, and the pale skin that humans always had. She looked somewhat athletic, and, more importantly, she had a perfect hourglass form. Her large bosom and hips captivated Pharaun's attention completely. She also had a fierce look about her, which would only prove to make this game more entertaining. Pharaun only then realized that Quenthel was speaking, and he prayed to Lloth that it wasn't to him.

Pharaun turned to see Quenthel staring impatiently at him. "Well?" she was practically fuming. Quenthel reached for her five headed snake whip and Jeggred snarled at him.

Pharaun turned to Quenthel slowly, inwardly cursing, and gave her a knowing smirk. Luckily at that moment Ryld, who was standing behind Quenthel, began to use the drow silent hand code to tell him what Quenthel's original question had been.

_She asked if you knew where they are from and how they got here_, Ryld signed making sure none of the priestesses or Jeggred saw him.

Pharaun nodded his thanks at Ryld before answering Quenthel, "I would assume they are from the surface, Mistress, and they, no doubt, got here by walking."

Quenthel fumed at Pharaun's response, "You know as well as I that they didn't walk here, mage," she spat the word, "They have no practical supplies or assets that I can see. They must have come from a nearby area."

"We are in Vhok's domain now, Mistress. They don't appear to be with the Scourged Legion or Kaanyr Vhok in anyway," Valas added.

Ryld decided to chime in, "I don't believe that they can fight. Perhaps they are mages of some kind."

Pharaun shook his head, "None of these humans are trained in magic or carry enchanted items."

Quenthel turned away, "They are not useful to us. Kill them."

Jeggred was all too happy to comply. As he began to stalk forward, a sudden idea came to Pharaun.

"Shouldn't we at least talk to them. By their lack of a reaction, I'm guessing they don't speak drow. However, most humans do speak common, which is a language we all are fluent in, is it not?"

Faeryl shot back, "Mistress Quenthel said to kill them. You'd better hold your tongue and listen, male"

"Wait. If Master Mizzrym thinks he can learn their motives let him try," Quenthel changed her mind suddenly. Pharaun was wary of this. _What could she possibly plan to get out of this? What could he possibly loose?_

Regardless of his sudden doubts, Pharaun smirked at Faeryl and cast a spell on the lovely brunette human. He assumed it worked when he saw her recoil in shock, and he proceeded to cast it on the other two in turn. The spell gave them the ability to see in the dark, not quite the way that drow did, but it would work effectively none the less.

The masks of confusion, fear, and shock on their faces was comical, and Pharaun had to stop himself from chuckling.

"Greetings. My name is Pharaun Mizzrym, Master of Sorcere. What do you call yourselves?" Pharaun had never particularly liked the rougher human tongue, but used it out of necessity.

"I'm Melanie. These are my sisters Morgan and Madison respectively," she motioned to her two sisters as she said their respective names.

Curiously, they appeared to recognize his name and appeared amazed, particularly the blonde one. Most humans either hated or feared drow or possibly both. While amazement was certainly a flattering response from three women he had just met, it was not the one he had been expecting.

Pharaun continued, "Where are you from?"

Madison responded immediately, after all, she had absolutely nothing to gain from hesitation, "We're from a different dimension. We call our planet Earth."

Pharaun couldn't hide his surprise. He doubted what she said was true, but it was certainly a strange response. "Then how did you get here?"

Melanie answered this question, "We found a cave and decided to explore it," Pharaun raised his eyebrows. These women were obviously foolish if they chose to randomly explore a cave with little to no supplies.

Hune ased the next question, much to Pharaun's surprise. "And you came out of that tunnel?" Hune pointed from the way the women had came. When Melanie nodded he continued, "How long did you walk?"

"A few minutes at most"

"And you encountered no other side passages?"

"That's correct."

Valas spoke in drow turning to Pharaun and Quenthel, "I know these tunnels, and that tunnel doesn't lead to the surface. It's a dead end."

"Then they are lying," Faeryl said the accusation as if there could be no other explanation.

Quenthel shook her head, "They are telling the truth." She then turned to Pharaun and asked, "Could they really have came from an entirely different dimension?"

"It is possible, but the chances are slim. However, we both know they speak the truth, so I believe that we may have met the three most unlucky humans in existence."

"I don't care. They should be killed regardless of where they came from. Nobody can know of our presence in Kaanyr Vhok's lands."

Jeggred once again approved the bound humans, but this time they could see. They reacted in pure terror, as Jeggred made no attempt to his his intent. Pharaun was about to argue with Quenthel, after all these were possibly the most exciting find he could have possibly made on this journey, and he wanted more time with them, particularly their busty leader, when the young, blonde one spoke. Pharaun could hardly believe his ears. He had to keep these alive.

"People in our dimension know things about this one. We can help you with your quest." She was desperate, understandably so. Not many people wouldn't be with a draegloth stalking towards them.

Pharaun watched Quenthel consider this. He could have guessed the things running through her head, but he didn't expect her to make a decision as quick as she did. Normally she would have asked more questions, been more suspicious. Then again, Quenthel's strong point was not her wit. If she had been born to a different house and a different gender, she wouldn't even be leading. She probably wouldn't still be alive. She often made hasty or harsh decisions based on some personal preference. The only real leading qualities she possessed were her decisiveness, for better or worse, and her intimidating nature.

"We'll take the humans, but we will not go out of our way to ensure they remain alive."

The walk had definitely been worth Pharaun's time.


	3. Questions

**Chapter 2**

Madison was tired. They had been walking with the drow for undoubtedly several hours now, but she didn't dare speak her mind. The less attention she received from Quenthel, Faeryl, and Jeggred the better. The last thing Madison wanted was to be whipped with Quenthel's five headed snake whip. She wished she had something to distract her, but the view had just been rock, tunnels, more rock, and rock formations. It had gotten boring after a short while.

Instead, Madison turned her attention to the other, more pleasant, members of the drow group. First, and foremost, was Valas Hune. Madison had always had an obsession with him ever since she read the books. Sadly, he got far too little page time. He was quiet, pragmatic, knowledgeable, and introverted. He also had a sense of humor when in the right company. These were all traits Madison admired greatly, and that admiration was part of the reason she didn't complain about the walk. She was a fangirl of most of these men. She was a fangirl of _all _of these men, and she wanted them to respect her at least a little or at least not think she was too much of a burden. Madison reminded herself not to let these people know that she was in "love" with them. Most of them would manipulate knowledge like that.

All of them, except for Hune and maybe Ryld, were evil, manipulative, and cunning (to some degree). Well, Hune and Ryld were cunning but not evil. Pharaun was all of those things. However, he was too amazing of a character to let those traits subtract from his personality.

Then there were the less pleasant of the group. Madison had a strong dislike of the priestesses at the same time she admired them. Mostly, though, her thoughts on the priestesses and Jeggred were those of fear. She hated that she cowered away every time they came close to her. Madison hated the amused, superior smirk they gave her when she did that, but she would give them the satisfaction, even if she could control it, because her life was something that far out weighed her pride.

Rationally, the thought of pride lead her mind to Morgan. Morgan was the only sister that could really irritate her. Morgan and Madison had the same basic interests. They played the same games and read the same books and watched the same things, but that's where the common aspects started to differ. They seldom had agreeing values, and Morgan always saw hers as the best ones. She belittled Madison's views and values almost constantly. The worst part was, all of her confidence was just a facade to cover her insecurities that she felt. It was kind of sad, but vastly irritating after a while.

Melanie also was extremely insecure, but, to be honest, Madison practically god-worshiped her sister. She was one of the smartest and most beautiful people Madison had ever met, but when ever you said something like that to Melanie she would think that you're lying or just immediately counter it with a self deprecating comment. It was constantly Madison's goal in life to be like her. Suddenly realizing that she had been mentally ranting and fangirling, Madison cleared her mind and focused on walking.

-0-0-0-

Sighing, Melanie checked the watch. It had been nearly two hours since they had met these strange people. They claimed to be drow, but everyone knew that drow weren't real. Melanie also was having a hard time coming to terms with the crazy explanation her younger sister had given. It had saved her life and the lives of her sisters from these insane, over the top cosplayers, but magic wasn't real either. If magic wasn't real, then how could she see? Why were there cosplayers on her property anyway?

Melanie sighed again. This time she got an irritated look from the short drow called Hune. Luckily, she knew of drow from the obsessive amount of time her sisters dedicated to talking about them.

"We'll make camp here," Quenthel pointed to a small alcove just barely large enough to fit everyone comfortably in.

Hune surveyed the area, "Very well, Mistress. I'll take first watch." Melanie could tell from Hune's face that he wasn't thrilled by the camping spot, but she didn't care that much.

"And I'll take second." It was the first time in a long time that the warrior, Ryld had spoken. Most of the journey so far had been Pharaun mindlessly talking at Ryld in drow.

"Jeggred will stand guard with you." Melanie was fascinated and terrified of Jeggred at the same time. She was also some what repulsed.

Ryld nodded. He obviously thought that arguing with Quenthel wasn't a good idea.

"Master Argith can handle watch on his own," Pharaun obviously didn't care about being respectful to Quenthel.

"I will not tolerate your impudence. Jeggred will watch with him," Quenthel reached for her whip, which was already spitting. Melanie moved away from them. She wasn't about to get in between those two.

Melanie agreed with Pharaun. There was no reason to set more than one person on watch with this camping area, but she didn't dare speak her mind. Quenthel displayed qualities not fit for a leader. She didn't ask opinions or change her mind when a more logical course of action presented itself. Pride wasn't an attractive quality in leaders, but Melanie was thrilled that the women seemed to be dominant in this group.

When Melanie looked back Pharaun had his hands ready for casting, Quenthel had her whip freed from her belt which writhed in eager anticipation, Faeryl had her hand resting on her warhammer, and Jeggred was issuing a low growl. Hune was watching but seemed to be already fed up with their behavior, and he was hanging back in the shadows to avoid the conflict. His small size allowed him to blend in very well. Melanie looked to her sisters to make sure they weren't doing anything stupid. Madison was also hanging back which didn't surprise Melanie at all, and, thankfully, Morgan was next to Madison. Melanie had been worried that Morgan would do something rash, like back Pharaun. Ryld gave Pharaun a meaningful look paired with a shake of his head.

Pharaun lowered his hands, "I hope your nephew's stench doesn't attract the half demons he's guarding us from."

Quenthel smiled as Pharaun turned away. She clearly thought of this as a victory.

Melanie looked away and pretended to be interested in some rocks by her feet as Pharaun walked toward her.

"May I inquire about your home dimension?" Pharaun had a charming smile on his face. It was slightly unnerving that he could go from arguing with Quenthel to being so diplomatic.

"Of course," Melanie wasn't sure what she should tell him, and she was hoping that he asked simple questions.

"What forms of magic exist in your plane?"

This was not an easy question, at least considering the question that would undoubtedly come after, "None, as far as I know."

"Then how did you manage to end up here?" That was one of the many questions she didn't want to answer.

"Honestly, I am not certain. We were walking, and then we were here."

"Did you feel disoriented?"

"Not that I remember," Melanie had been distracted with her sisters and her lack of comfort while squeezing through the cave.

Pharaun nodded patiently, "You didn't feel dizzy or lose your sense of direction?"

Melanie nodded, "That's correct."

Pharaun made a humming noise, "Strange. I assume you are not familiar with extra dimensional travel?

"I am not."

"Do you have any gaps in your memory? Perhaps something in your past seems distant, fuzzy, or out of place?" He sounded like a creepy doctor. Melanie hated doctors.

"No. What does that have to do with anything?"

"I was merely curious. Now, on to less dire matters. What fabric is that?" Pharaun pointed at her shirt. It had been early fall in her world. Melanie smiled remembering the leaves just barely starting to change, the cool air, hot sun, and slight breeze. Autumn was Melaine's favorite season, and she missed the weather already, not to mention the earthy scent of fall. The Underdark had a different, stale smell and no weather. She looked down at her attire as she remembered his question. Melanie was wearing a hooded sweatshirt, jeans, and a pair of tennis shoes. Her sweatshirt was a grey with an angled zipper that ran some what up her side. It was designed for style and comfort, and it was one of the few sweatshirts that didn't make her look fat and shapeless. The whole outfit looked rather rough compared to his fine, elaborate robes which appeared to be partially made of some sort of silk.

"I don't know. It's probably cotton."

Pharaun focused, obviously trying to remember something. Then sudden realization came to his face, "Ah, a fuzzy white plant from the surface," there was a pause as he looked at her, "Your shirt is incredibly fine. Are you noble?"

Melanie laughed, "No. Most fabrics from my world are like this."

"But surely you belong to the upper class? Your speech is incredible."

Melanie shook her head, "Education is required for all children where I am from. Don't the drow have schools?"

"Of a fashion. Drow children are taught to read, write, and other necessities by their house. Then they are sent to one of the three branches of the Academy. My mother determined that I should be a mage because of my natural talents, so I was sent to Sorcere."

"Can anyone learn magic?"

"No. It takes some amount of natural ability at least." Pharaun obviously enjoyed talking about things he knew and could use to seem superior to others.

As Melanie was about to reply, Hune walked over to the pair and handed out food. They both received a bread like material and dried meat. He was about to walk away when Quenthel gave him a nasty glare.

His gaze met Melanie's and he said, "Split that between the three of you." She had gotten the same portion size as Pharaun, and Melanie suspected that Hune was limiting her food because of Quenthel.

"I will. Thank you." Melanie lacked the desire to make Quenthel angry. It was better to agree with everything at this point. "When will we reach our destination?"

"If we proceed without further complications, we will reach Ched Nasad in ten cycles." He sounded so certain. Melanie realized that scouting must consume a large portion of his life. She wished she loved her work that much, but Melanie had never been very decisive or had an interest in one job that completely masked the others. She then realized she had no idea how long a cycle was. They could be traveling for months.

"And how long is one cycle?" Melanie was hoping that he said a relatively short period of time.

"About the length of one day."

Melanie nodded, "Thank you for the food and the answers." Hune looked surprised, although only mildly, at her generous use of gratitude before he returned to his position for first watch.

In all this time, Pharaun's gaze never left Melanie, and she was trying hard not to show him that she noticed. Melanie began to silently and equally divide her rations for her sisters.

"I will leave you to your rest," with that, thankfully, Pharaun left. He spread out his bed roll and began to study a book of his.

Melanie moved over towards her sisters and handed them their portion of the rations. Morgan immediately began eating.

"Quick thinking back there. It probably saved our lives," Melanie congratulated her youngest sister Madison. "How did you know that we traveled dimensions?"

"Well, when we were traveling through the cave I suddenly started to feel a little motion sick.," Of course she had. Madison got motion sick from being on a swingset for any length of time, "Then I decided that these people were either insane, total immersion larpers, or it was the real deal. Either way I said the thing that I thought would give them the most pause." Melanie hadn't expected her sister to say anything. Madison was so shy that Melanie had thought she would just lie down and die. Perhaps Madison had finally found the right reason to come out of her shell, albeit a dramatic one. Not that Melanie should be criticizing.

Melanie nodded, "We have to remain neutral and out of the way. The last thing we need is a reason for these people to kill us. Once we get to this city, we might be able to break away."

Madison chuckled, "We are not going to want to be in Ched Nasad. We should stick with this group until they meet with the dwarves in Gracklstugh."

"At this rate that will be ten years from now," complained Morgan. She would complain.

"Well, until we can do something, do nothing. I want both of you on your best behavior."

"Okay, mom. What do you think I'll do? Kill them all?"

Melanie didn't appreciate Morgan's heavy use of sarcasm, so she ignored it, "Good. then we should get to sleep. I have a feeling we aren't about to be sleeping in."

-0-0-0-

The next nine days came and went in much the same fashion as had the first. Their scout lead them away from danger and towards the city. The tunnels passed by unremarkably, but some how Hune still knew where he was going. Sometimes they were permitted to speak, but Melanie usually spent this time listening to Pharaun and Ryld's banter. She still hadn't actually spoken to Ryld, Faeryl, Quenthel, or Jeggred, at least not for a significant amount, and Melanie was only interested in meeting one of those four people anyway. She would speak to Ryld in time, so she decided to not push the issue. Pharaun still asked questions about home, and Melanie didn't think that this was too bad of a place, for a short visit, but she missed showers, other luxuries that she had taken for granted before, and flavorful, homemade food. Overall, her and her sisters' presence was largely ignored.


	4. Violent Encounters

_Hey guys! I would just like to remind everyone that I don't own anything. Wizards of the Coast and the other respective owners own everything except Melanie, Morgan, and Madison. Also, I am interested in knowing who's pov you guys want to see more of. Any comment or concerns you might have would help, and I want to make this story as enjoyable as possible for everyone. This one is a little shorter than normal, but I wanted to get the story moving. Lastly, thank you to anyone who has already reviewed this story, and special thanks goes to silver-eyedLady-of-Darkness for being the first person to follow this story!_

-0-0-0-0-

**Chapter 3**

Ryld looked to his companions as he ran. He was near the rear of the group to make sure that none of the tanarukks giving chase could strike at his weaker companions. The human women were having difficulty keeping up, and Ryld considered if he should help them if the need arose. Valas was keeping to the back with him and Jeggred, and the others were leading.

They were vastly outnumbered, and with Valas not in the lead, they had no idea where they were going. Sure enough, Ryld's fears were realized when they reached a dead end. A strange spongy mass was blocking the tunnel, and Pharaun, Quenthel, and the other priestess already had their backs to it and their weapons readied. Pharaun was preparing to cast a spell, Quenthel had her whip in her hand, and Faeryl had her crossbow leveled. The humans were only a couple of feet in front of Ryld with Melanie in the lead. He wasn't sure that all of them would make the last 100 feet or so without collapsing.

Ryld could hear the clicking of crossbows, and a quarrel whizzed past his head landing with a soft thud into Melanie's shoulder. The human cried out and fell to the ground. Ryld picked up speed and swooped down to pick her up as he passed. The masks of fear on her sisters' faces clearly showed that they had never been in any kind of fight before. Ryld shifted Melanie in his arms so that all but her lower legs would be protected from the projectiles flying past them. She looked like she was about to pass out from a combination of running, pain, and blood loss. It occurred to Ryld then that the quarrel might be poisoned.

Rld set her down next to Pharaun, careful not to bump the quarrel sticking out of her shoulder. As he stood up he caught a glimpse of Pharun's expression. It was a strange look which Rlyd couldn't begin to decipher.

He turned around just in time to see Valas push the blonde human down as a bolt soared towards her. The mercenary disappeared a moment later, and the human propelled herself up and continued running. Ryld's eyes snapped onto the last human. She was the farthest behind and unarmed. Ryld ran over to her side and drew splitter to slow the pursuit. The tanarukks followed Ryld's example by drawing their various weapons.

They fought with battle axes primarily which slowed them down. Their slowness was made up for with their strength. Ryld battled them at a slow rate. They were surprisingly well organized for their race.

Ryld looked back over his shoulder to see all the humans crowding behind his Pharaun who was doing an excellent job protecting them and the priestesses. Despite searching, Ryld couldn't find Valas anywhere. Valas most likely had an enchantment of some kind allowing him to move throughout the field. Jeggred was tearing apart anything that came near him in a bloody frenzy.

Suddenly, a wall of writhing black tentacles, which drew in foes and strangled them, separated the main force of tanarukks and the party. Ryld had no doubt he had Pharaun to thank for that. He quickly dispatched the remaining tanarukks around him as a wall of force was erected next to the tentacles. The spell might have temporarily stopped the onslaught, but they were trapped in a dead end. There appeared to be no good way out of this.

-0-0-0-0-

After the battle, Valas Hune considered the setback they were facing. He had managed to keep track of his surroundings while running from the tanarukks, but being lost wasn't the problem. If there was a way past the sponge, he would be able to lead the company to Ched Nasad as planned. However, this troublesome organism covered miles of tunnels, and by the time they maneuvered past it, the tanarukks would be prepared to meet them on a battlefield of their choosing.

"How long before your spell wears off, mage?" Quenthel didn't sound pleased with the situation.

"Ten minutes. Maybe fifteen," Pharaun put on a show of confidence when saying this, and, having received a time limit, Hune decided to turn his full attention to escaping.

-0-0-0-0-

Pharaun crouched beside Melanie. Normally the priestesses would have had to deal with this, but since they were now useless, Pharaun Had to take it upon himself to see to the wounded instead of helping to find a way out of the dead end.

After looking at the wound and quarrel briefly, he looked up past the magical barrier. The tanarukks appeared to be waiting patiently, or as patiently as mindless beasts can. While scanning the crowd to make sure they had no dispelling magic among them, Pharaun spotted what appeared to be a beautiful human woman. She was hiding back in the shadows, but he could make out her long, curly, black hair and green eyes. Her body was perfect, and the black corset she wore showed it more prominently. Upon further examination, he realized that she was not a human but an alu-fiend, the offspring of a succubus and human male. It was amusing to him that she would attempt to hide her wings and fangs.

Pharaun was drawn from his contemplation suddenly. "Can you help me?" Melanie sounded very much in pain and exceedingly hopeful as humans were prone to be.

Pharaun smiled disarmingly at her, "Indeed. This should take just a mere moment."

He once again examined the wound. The quarrel was barbed and would have to be pushed through. Luckily, however, it was not poisoned. Pharun cut off her large, thick, overshirt with his dagger, which to Pharaun's pleasure made her somewhat uncomfortable. She was wearing a much lighter and tighter type of shirt underneath. It was simple and had strangely shortened sleeves and a simple neckline, much to Pharaun's disappointment. Working quickly with his graceful hands, Pharaun pushed the bolt through and, once he had managed the bleeding, bandaged it.

"That's all that can be done now," Pharaun watched her face as he said this. She didn't look in any better of a state than she had been in before, but, for some unknown reason, she was smiling.

"Thank you." Pharaun didn't truly understand the human need to say things like that, but it did make him smile before he moved away from her to begin examining Araumycos, the largest organism in the Underdark. Named by the dwarves, Araumycos spread for miles and was renowned for its regenerative properties. Pharaun decided to test to see if what he heard was true. Summoning a flame to his fingertips, Pharaun burnt away the surface of a small area of Araumycos, and he watched it wither and shrink under the flame. Then, Pharaun pulled out a bottle of acid from his many piwafwi pockets and watched that substance burn away the organism also. It was fascinating, but, ultimately, useless to the current situation.

Sighing, Pharaun looked to his side, and saw Ryld was using his greatsword to carve pieces out of Araumycos. The mage smiled at his friend's hopeless attempt to help. The warrior's thought process had always been amusing to him. Ryld always had to try things himself and piece it together with cold, hard evidence. The practical fighter rarely had any creative or abstract ideas that couldn't be completely supported with what was before his eyes. In fact, Ryld rarely thought beyond the most obvious solution. However, Ryld had somehow managed to elevate himself from the Stenchstreets to the highest position in Menzoberranzan he could ever hope to have without noble birth. That didn't come from physical prowess alone. Clearly Rlyd was doing something right.

The mage grimaced in disgust when chunks of the sponge, which instantly withered in the air, started falling. Fortunately, they didn't hit him. However, the chunks did hit Ryld, who didn't seem to care in the least. Looking up, Pharaun saw that their fine scout had climbed up the organism and cut a hole through Araumycos along the ceiling of the tunnel. It was small, but, with the enlargement that Master Hune was currently causing, all of the larger members of the expedition would fit.

"Well done, Master Hune!" Pharaun called from below, and he wasn't surprised when Hune did not respond.

Quenthel looked up as well, "Master Argith, Jeggred, get the humans."

Pharaun chuckled to himself as he activated his innate levitation. It wouldn't be long before the reached the luxury of Ched Nasad.


	5. A Warm Welcome

**Chapter 4**

As they traveled along the overcrowded road to Ched Nasad, Melanie considered everything that had happened in the past few days. After they had escaped those creatures, which Melanie could only consider some type of hairy Uruk-hai mutant, by traveling through that giant sponge, they had encountered more tunnels. The scout, who Melanie believed was named Hune, said that they were dwarven made. Shortly thereafter, the party had been once again attacked, and Pharaun had disappeared for the beginning of that fight. Melanie, who was always paranoid, was concerned. However, once he had rejoined them, the fight went smoothly with the drow forming a protective circle around her and her sisters. The road from then on was peaceful, but her shoulder still hurt.

Melanie shuddered as she considered the less than sterile environment of her wound. If it festered and became infected, she would most likely die. Melanie could only hope that when Pharaun had told her that did the best that he could do for now he meant that he intended to do something later. She was drawn out of her misery by Hune's voice.

"They are checking passes ahead," He clearly wasn't concerned but had a certain urgency to his voice that was impossible to ignore. Melanie also thought it curious that he would speak in what the drow called common. Surely it wasn't for her benefit.

Faeryl spoke up, "I'll handle this. My house is powerful and known for its trade. Excluding Jeggred, we could easily pass this party up for a caravan guard."

Quenthel scowled at her, "Don't be foolish. There is no trade out of Ched Nasad right now, and we have no caravan."

"Ah, but what if we set out before the trading ban and lost our caravan?" Pharaun clearly loved having a quicker mind than Quenthel.

The high priestess grumbled something unintelligible, then clearly spoke superiorly, "And what of Jeggred? He cannot pass off as a common guard."

"The solution is quite simple. I will cloak him in an illusion until we are through the gates. With the aid of a large piwafwi, he will look more like a large drow and less like a draegloth. More importantly, if this plan is to work we, excluding Mistress Faeryl, will have to act as commoners."

"Clearly."

"I am not certain that everyone here will be able to do that," Pharaun left no doubt that he was speaking of Quenthel.

Quenthel was about to provide a heated rebuke when Ryld intervened, "And what of the humans? Their dress is strange, and they are neither armed nor trained. Not even the city guards would believe this." Melanie had to agree with the weapons master and Quenthel. If they went through with this, and gained entrance to the city, it would prove that city guards actually were the stupidest people alive.

Pharaun shot him a disappointed look for agreeing with Quenthel, "We saved some of our cargo."

"The people of my house are not slavers, but that doesn't mean we don't own them," Faeryl sounded offended at Pharaun's comment, but Melanie couldn't guess why. Buying and possessing slaves was just as bad as owning them, and Melanie did not want to be treated like one, regardless. The priestess continued looking at Ryld, "Hold your tongue, male. You don't want to speak against me again."

"What ever we are doing, it had best be soon. We will be upon the guards soon." Hune interjected obviously tired of the argument.

This spurred Quenthel to make a decision, "We will follow Mistress Faeryl's plan. Master Argith, give your piwafwi to Jeggred. The rest of you give yours to the humans. The less the guards see of their clothing the better."

Melanie watched with amusement as Madison immediately turned towards Hune to receive his cloak. Hune hesitated before giving the piwafwi to her. It looked almost as if he was counting the various enchanted baubles, or he might have been making sure he still had all the ones he needed. There were significantly less of the enchanted objects on his piwafwi than his vest, and he ultimately placed the garment in her eager hands.

As Melanie was watching her sister clasp the piwafwi on her shoulders, effectively covering her 'outlandish' attire, Pharaun cast his illusion on Jeggred and gave Melanie his own cloak with a crooked grin. Melanie decided to ignore his expression because she couldn't guess the reason for it.

"Thank you," Melanie was surprised by the cloak's weight. It was thin but strong, and after a moment she realized the cause of the extra weight. His piwafwi has lots of small, relatively hidden, interior pockets. Pharaun watched her intently as she attempted to clasp the cloak around her.

"Do you need help?" He sounded kind of smug. However, time was of the essence, and it wasn't her fault the stupid clasp was stuck. Sacrificing a great deal of her pride, Melanie nodded.

Pharaun smiled and stepped much too close to Melanie for her comfort. He seemed to take his time attaching the cloak. In fact, he took too much time.

As he was doing this, Melanie glance about the other party members. Most of them were ignoring the pair, but Quenthel looked on with open disdain. That wasn't very surprising. However, Melanie was somewhat shocked to see that one of her younger sisters, Morgan, was glaring at them. Melanie rose her eyebrows in response, but Morgan just rolled her eyes and turned away. In a matter of moments, Pharaun was finished and backed away. He directed his next question at Quenthel.

"Mistress," he didn't sound nearly respectful enough when he said her title, "if we are posing as commoners, should Mistress Faeryl not keep her cloak? It would be far more convincing if you were to give your cloak to the human. Of course, do to your respective heights, it will be large and somewhat awkward on her." He motioned at Morgan who seemed even angrier at being called 'the human.'

"I doubt it matters, but if it will lessen the fear your impotent, male mind holds, the human will temporarily hold my piwafwi." Quenthel kept a superior air about her as she uncloaked herself and shoved it in Morgan's direction. Morgan, still agitated from before, huffed as she place it around her shoulders.

The group sat in silence as they waited for the guards to check them. Melanie was normally a fairly patient person, but she was nervous about this plan. It wasn't overly convincing, and the only thing that could save it was the influence of Faeryl's house. Hopefully, the guards would be afraid to move against them.

Much sooner than Melanie would have liked, the guards approached. The guards were armoured in black mail and wielded swords. They began to talk to Faeryl quietly. It was then that she realized that Pharaun was still standing very close to her and was purposefully blocking her in part from the guard's sight. Her thoughts didn't get much farther because, to her amazement, their party was allowed to pass into the city.

-0-0-0-0-0-

The city was crowded beyond belief. Clearly, something was wrong with the common people, and Valas was uneasy about traveling in the open streets. They were an obviously wealthy party. A desperate group might even attempt to attack them. Before he moved much farther into the streets he needed his piwafwi to better protect himself from pickpockets. With the loud murmur of the people, his first instinct was to use the drow silent hand code to ask the human to return it to him. Unfortunately, that plan had its drawbacks.

Surprisingly, when he turned to the blonde human, which he gathered was named Madison, she already had the cloak off and in her hand, outstretched towards him. He took it from her with a slight nod of his head. He hadn't revealed his intentions physically or mentally, and that worried him. The humans had said that they knew of this dimension despite coming from a different one, but Valas began to wonder just how much they knew. Hune looked to his other companions and saw that they too were regaining their cloaks. However, only after prompting the humans.

Valas turned his attention back to the task at hand. They needed to get out of this crowd in order to further discuss any plans.

"Jeggred, take point. Master Hune, guide him," Quenthel demanded.

Valas held in a sigh as Jeggred pushed his way to the front. Quenthel was issuing orders but not giving any specifics. While having Jeggred without a piwafwi in the front of the group would part the crowd, Valas would rather have Quenthel allow him to lead fully. Quenthel had never even left Menzoberranzan, and she certainly wasn't helping now. Though her actions were far from unexpected of a priestess.

With the draegloth snarling at anyone who didn't move quickly enough, the party made their way through the lower streets of Ched Nasad. Valas followed closely behind Jeggred, and he could feel Quenthel and Faeryl behind him. Quenthel used her five headed whip to threaten the bystanders. Pharaun had his head bowed down and his piwafwi curled around him. Using his kukris to slice the palms of those who attempted to pickpocket him, Valas thought that they were traveling at a fair pace.

Ched Nasad, The City of Shimmering Webs, was a drow city near Menzoberranzan. The two cities often traded with each other, and the presence of Bregan D'aerthe agents was second only to Menzoberranzan, the home of Bregan D'aerthe. The city itself was located in a cavern that resembled a "V." Measuring nearly a mile high and half a mile wide at the top, but the cavern got smaller as it went down along steep walls. The city was smaller than Menzoberranzan; however, many people considered it just as or more magnificent because the city was organized in and built on layers of countless petrified webs which were lighted in faerie fire. Valas was looking past the cocoon like buildings for the nearest web that connected this layer with the one above it. The city was divided into levels. The poor lived on the lower levels and the rich drow on the higher ones. Farms of fungus grew on the cavern walls, and rothe were herded on the cavern floor. The amount of people should decrease as they moved up past the poor and the markets into the higher levels.

Valas then considered their second problem. Non-drow needed permission to enter the higher levels of the city. Some finer inns might be okay with permitting Jeggred, as draegloths are created by Lolth, but they would once again have to disguise the humans, which in the more regulated, less crowded levels would be near impossible. Valas shrugged off the problem a moment later. The others could worry about that. All he needed to do was navigate. He was about to tell Quenthel his plans to enter the upper city, and he turned his head back so he could hear him.

Suddenly, Jeggred began to growl louder. By the time the scout turned his head forward, Jeggred was leaping onto an ogre with a greatsword who was blocking their way A second ogre stood beside him with a spiked club.

Jeggred landed on the ogre, knocking it from its feet. Blood sprayed across the crowd as the draegloth used his claws to shred the first ogre. The crowd erupted into screams as some of the bystanders tried to get away and others pressed forward for a better view or to loot the bodies. Jeggred ripped the creature's throat out, and it began to flail wildly. The second ogre hit Jeggred with his club, but with a spin the draegloth avoided most of the damage and faced his enemy in a low crouch.

At that moment, Valas was knocked back by a lunging goblin, teeth barred and daggers drawn. Before the scout could defend himself, Quenthel used her deadly scourge to whip the creature. Several fangs sunk in, and the goblin fell writhing and frothing at the mouth.

Valas Hune regained his feet before the surging crowd could overtake him. He turned his back to Quenthel's and brandished his kukris openly to hold back a number of grey dwarves. Looking about, he discovered that their group had formed a defensive circle, excluding Jeggred who was finishing off the ogres a few feet away. Ryld had Splitter out before him, Pharaun his magical rapier and a wand, Faeryl her hammer, and Quenthel her whip. The human women were sensibly staying away from the crowd and in the center of the drow's circle. However, it looked like Madison was telling something to the others. The shortest, Morgan nodded her agreement, and Melanie seemed to nod in understanding. Valas brushed this off. They had been little help so far, but that may of been because Quenthel wasn't asking them what they knew, at least not yet.

Valas looked at Quenthel over his shoulder and shouted, "We have to get higher!" When Quenthel didn't hear him, he repeated himself, "Mistress Quenthel, we have to get to a higher part of the city. This is not working!"

At his side, Pharaun jerked as a crossbow bolt hit his piwafwi and bounced off the armoured cloak. The crowd was becoming increasingly violent.

"What would you suggest?" Quenthel replied.

Faeryl began to levitate. "Follow me. We have to get to the mercantile district and this is the fastest way."

"No!" the scout groaned, eyes widening. "I can't! WE can't! We have no way to stay with you." He added the humans in as a second thought.

Looking around, Valas realized two things. First, the humans were already paired and levitating with his drow companions. Ryld was supporting both Morgan and Madison, and Pharaun held Melanie. Secondly, his companions were already off the ground.

Valas backed into the empty space that had made up their circle and eyed the approaching crowd warily. Normally, he would have felt most comfortable calling out to Ryld for help, but he already had his hands full. Valas was at a loss.

Suddenly, Valas was grabbed from behind. He tried to spin to fight his enemy, but was glad to find that it was Jeggred. The draegloth, covered in blood, held the scout tightly as he too began to levitate. A few grey dwarves charged at the pair, but Jeggred used his massive clawed hand to swipe at them. Bolts flew past and one hit Jeggred. The beast grunted in pain and continued to follow their drow companions.

Valas looked down and saw the crowd had already swarmed the bodies of the ogres and were ripping their valuables off. They were savages.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Melanie sighed. She wanted Ryld to carry her, but she had been stuck with Pharaun because of her sisters. Pharaun was very well groomed and had very fine clothing. Melanie noticed for the first time that Pharaun was lightly perfumed. It wasn't unpleasant and surprised her a little. It probably shouldn't have, but they were trapped in the dark ages. The people below them had certainly never heard of a bath, much less perfume.

"I don't intend to intrude, but perhaps this would be easier if you were to also put your legs around me." Pharaun had his arms tightly around her, and Melanie had her arms around his neck. They were pressed right up against each other, so Pharaun was more or less whispering in her ear.

"Is it absolutely necessary?" Her voice was somewhat quieter than she had intended it to be. It was a strange kind of nervous.

"We do have a long way to levitate, and dropping you isn't the best option." Pharaun was clearly amused.

Melanie did not say anything, but she did as he suggested as best as she could with her limited ability to maneuver herself. She did not want to fall, and, maybe more so, she did not want him to dislike her. It was obvious who held the power, and too much was at risk. Her sisters had often spoken of the cruelty of drow.

Pharaun smiled at her. Strangely that smile turned into a smirk for the briefest of moments, and his eyes glanced past her. Melanie couldn't be certain, but as his arms readjusted to better hold her in this new position, she thought she could feel the muscles of his forearm move, almost as if he was moving his hand quickly. Then, his focus returned to her.

"How are you liking the City of Shimmering Webs," he said the title a bit sarcastically and obviously wasn't expecting a good response.

"It could have been the loveliest thing I've seen, I think, if not for the people."

"I've only been here once or twice, but I believe the common people are usually sparser. Have you no large cities in your dimension?"

"Oh, I meant the whole system of people...how the rich quite literally put themselves above the rest and the quality of life relies upon how high you've climbed. It's sad." Her voice was a bit tinged with sadness itself. "There are very large cities back home. I just never got around to seeing them."

"Perhaps," he didn't sound the least bit sad, "but it is possible for the common folk to gain position. Ryld certainly did. Your clothes are very fine for someone who didn't live in a large city."

I smile. "Are you giving me a compliment or expressing distrust in my statement that I'm not from a big city?"

"Since you are giving me the option, I would say a compliment. In my experience, compliments are usually viewed more favorably than distrust."

"So, you are giving me nothing genuine at all?"

"I thought humans were of a lesser intelligence. Surely, you'll take my compliment at face value?" Melanie assumed that that was intended to be a joke from the mirth in his voice. It was hard to tell, however, because Pharaun suddenly became distracted and looked off to the side.

"Surely." Melanie did not inquire about what he was distracted with. If he wanted her to know, he would say.

"Unfortunately, It seems our conversation is to be cut short. We appear to be landing on that web." Pharaun motioned with his head to the nearby street. "I am afraid you will have to be thrown over there, since you can't exactly jump."

Melanie's eyes widened slightly when he said this, but she did not say anything. She did not want to seem even weaker than she already was in this world.

"Don't worry. I'll use magic to ensure you make the leap. As soon as Ryld moves your sisters and then reaches the web himself, he will catch you."

Melanie turned her head to watch the two priestesses reach the nearby web, followed by Jeggred and Hune. Ryld then tossed Madison into Hune's awaiting grasp and Morgan to Jeggred's, which was amusing to say the least. Ryld jumped the short distance with ease and turned to receive Melanie.

"Are you ready?"

Melanie nodded and removed her legs from around him. Pharaun freed one of his hands and began to cast a spell. Melanie found the arcane language exotic and deeply fascinating. As soon as he finished his spell, Pharaun threw Melanie with surprising strength. A wave of terror passed through her in the brief second it took her to fly through the air into Ryld's arms, but she composed herself a second later as she walked over to her sisters to watch Pharaun make the jump also.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The group stopped on a small side street layers above where they had been previously. They were in between rows of vendors and the crowd had thinned slightly. Valas knew they were still relatively low in the city, for the glimmering glow of spectral light that emanated from the mesh of stone webs still dazzled his sight when he looked up, twinkling far into the distance overhead. He knew that the higher they got, the better the richer the citizens would be. The nobles built their houses at the widest part of the cavern, in the topmost layers. They had a long way to go before they reached that point.

The draegloth released Valas who realised sullenly that his clothes were coated in ogre blood from his contact with Jeggred. He pushed that thought from his mind as he realised Ryld wanted him to catch Madison, the blonde human. He didn't particularly mind, but he didn't relish the thought of catching someone who was taller than him. He did as expected and waited for the others to land. Pharaun dusted off his piwafwi and straightened his clothes shortly after jumping the required distance. He always had to look presentable.

Valas listened intently, but with little actual interest as the others began to discuss their plans to find a place to stay, which would be difficult to do so with Jeggred and the humans. They rejected the idea of immediately visiting the important houses of the city to avoid being watched. Quenthel healed Jeggred with a wand, and she eventually agreed to stay in an inn. Quenthel ordered Jeggred to watch Faeryl, fearing that she would betray the Menzoberranzanyr for her home city. Eventually they came to a topic in which Valas could properly assist.

Quenthel faced the human women who were once again in a group together. In Valas' experience humans usually traveled, and naturally formed herds like this. "Do you know which inn we should stay at? Which one will accommodate our needs and accept us?"

Their reaction was strange. Melanie immediately looked between her younger sisters, and they looked between each other. It looked as though Madison was trying to remember the answer. Clearly some of them knew more than others. Ultimately, Morgan shrugged and Madison shook her head.

Melanie replied, "No. We don't."

Quenthel frowned ever so slightly at this and turned to face the three drow males. "Which of you knows this city the best?" All of the humans looked expectantly at Valas.

"I have visited Ched Nasad many times before, Mistress," Valas answered ignoring the humans. Ryld and Pharaun nodded their agreement and let the focus lie on Valas.

"Good. Find an inn, but make sure it is a good one. I won't put up with the squalor you might be used to."

Valas raised an eyebrow but said nothing. It was curious that Quenthel had changed her mind to agree with Pharaun's plan to find an inn and secretly scope out the city without actually admitting to doing so. He also saw the humans react with surprise at what they would consider Quenthel's rudeness. To Valas, she was merely a priestess and that was how they acted.

"The quickest way to get where we want to go is by levitation," the scout said. "As long as everyone who can't is carried."

Quenthel looked at the party and gave Faeryl a threatening glare. She then said, "Lead on, Valas. I am eager to rest on a proper couch."

The small group levitated up to the higher parts of the city and were relieved to see that the streets did become less crowded as they went. There were still more people than Valas remembered, but it was tolerable. The scout lead them to an upscale business section of the city where the lesser Houses resided. The inns here would be extravagant for the many merchants that came and went, and they would be accustomed to strange beings such as Jeggred and the human women. Hopefully, they could find a room fine enough for Quenthel without drawing attention to themselves, if they could find a room at all.

Pharaun negotiated a room. After several failures, they were recommended an inn near the edge of the city two levels higher by a half orc because it was run by his cousin, and the inn specialized in catering to mercenaries who guarded caravans. Valas wondered which half of the family the proprietor of the inn was from.

The Flame and Serpent, a sprawling hive of cocoon-shapes huddled together up against the cavern wall. It held promise because of its out of the way location. Quenthel balked upon seeing it, but Pharaun insisted upon entering it before making a final judgement. She must be tired if she was letting Pharaun lead them, but that would change after she rested. The humans also seemed to be repulsed by its outward appearance. Valas couldn't help but think that they didn't travel often.

Pleasantly, the inside of the Flame and Serpent was much finer than the outside had been. Pharaun approached the orc innkeeper who had silver caps on his tusks and two ogre bodyguards while Valas examined the numerous people in the common room. A few had lingering glances when it came to Jeggred and the human women, but Valas could see that these people were indeed mercenaries. They would mind their own business while they pursued gold and riches of their own. They were Valas' type of people.

Quenthel was looking about in distaste when Pharaun returned with the good news that they had booked the last two rooms in the inn. Quenthel rolled her eyes when he mentioned the price, but given the circumstances, Valas knew that they had received a good deal.

"Only two?" Quenthel said doubtfully. "The males and humans will share one, while Faeryl and I will take the other. Jeggred will, of course, remain with me."

"That's far from an even split," Pharaun felt the need to mention while smiling reassuringly at Melanie.

"They are of a lesser race. Therefore, they will stay with you. This is not something that will change. However, I will speak with them before the night is over," Quenthel sounded far too reasonable. She must indeed be tired. The humans glanced nervously at each other before the group made their way to their rooms.

-0-0-0-0-0-

_A/N: I thought I should disclaim here. I do not own any of this (excluding Melanie, Morgan, and Madison). I would also like to say that I found a great description of Ched Nasad on the Forgotten Realms Wiki, and I based my description of the city off of that. _

_Sorry for the long wait. I will try to update at least twice a month, but in my defense, this was a much longer chapter. Also, I followed the book a little closer in this chapter. Please tell me what you guys think and thanks to everyone who reads this!_


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